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Author Topic: Disassemble Cherry MX switches  (Read 6322 times)

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Offline Toxic

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  • Posts: 7
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« on: Wed, 27 April 2011, 18:50:11 »
I got LEO-FC200RT-KB tenkeyless with Cherry MX Blues from EK, and asked acquaintance of mine to deliver it to me (Ukraine), and he got it damaged during transportation. This is my fault, not EK's so there will no be refund or exchange.

It seems that bottom-right key (right arrow) has clicking part broken, the key itself works fine but there's no click - only a sound of something broken being in the way inside. I'd like to open the switch and investigate the matter and possibly just exchange switch with other one that is used rarely (like Caps Lock). KB has a metal plate, so according to FAQ I should solder them out to disassemble, right? Has anyone clear instructions on how to do that without damaging the switch? I don't have spare switches and doubt I will have ones in future.

TIA
and sorry for my English - not a native speaker.
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Offline Human

  • Posts: 596
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 27 April 2011, 22:23:42 »
Quote from: Toxic;338329
I got LEO-FC200RT-KB tenkeyless with Cherry MX Blues from EK, and asked acquaintance of mine to deliver it to me (Ukraine), and he got it damaged during transportation. This is my fault, not EK's so there will no be refund or exchange.

It seems that bottom-right key (right arrow) has clicking part broken, the key itself works fine but there's no click - only a sound of something broken being in the way inside. I'd like to open the switch and investigate the matter and possibly just exchange switch with other one that is used rarely (like Caps Lock). KB has a metal plate, so according to FAQ I should solder them out to disassemble, right? Has anyone clear instructions on how to do that without damaging the switch? I don't have spare switches and doubt I will have ones in future.

TIA
and sorry for my English - not a native speaker.

 
Just go buy some spare switch or any donor board with Cherry Blue.
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Offline Robbly

  • Posts: 8
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 27 April 2011, 23:34:39 »
To desolder, buy some desoldering braid and practice on some junk piece of circuit board. It's very easy.

After you get the two contacts desoldered, you have to push the plastic nub on the bottom of the switch (hard!) to pop it off the circuit board.

The switch itself has 4 little tabs (2 on each side) that hold the two parts together. I use one of these to pry them open:

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Offline Toxic

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  • Posts: 7
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 28 April 2011, 01:58:18 »
Quote from: Human;338467
Just go buy some spare switch or any donor board with Cherry Blue.

If only I had that possibility I wouldn't even start a thread. Unfortunately, I don't have one.

ripster, metal contact works fine, it's just click/tactile problem.

Robbly, thanks for the tips. I have some soldering skills. I just want to open the switch gracefully without breaking it.
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Offline Toxic

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Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 01 May 2011, 19:23:07 »
I found the problem. There was something wrong with metal contact shape inside that switch. After 15 minutes of experimenting with bending I've managed to restore sufficient tactile and sound response, and also swapped that switch with Win key switch, just for sure.

BTW, if someone is curious, the keyboard construction is solid and reliable, doesn't look cheap in any way, soldering quality is good. While USB-connected, provides 18KRO, more than enough.
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Offline Human

  • Posts: 596
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 01 May 2011, 23:20:05 »
Quote from: Toxic;340046
I found the problem. There was something wrong with metal contact shape inside that switch. After 15 minutes of experimenting with bending I've managed to restore sufficient tactile and sound response, and also swapped that switch with Win key switch, just for sure.

BTW, if someone is curious, the keyboard construction is solid and reliable, doesn't look cheap in any way, soldering quality is good. While USB-connected, provides 18KRO, more than enough.

 
Wao, this is the first time i heard tha Leopold is having 18KRO under USB. Any picture?
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Offline Toxic

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  • Posts: 7
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 11:18:08 »
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Offline BucklingSpring

  • Posts: 1613
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 11:32:50 »
Quote from: Toxic;340046
I found the problem. There was something wrong with metal contact shape inside that switch. After 15 minutes of experimenting with bending I've managed to restore sufficient tactile and sound response, and also swapped that switch with Win key switch, just for sure.


Good job and congratulations. Glad for you it turned out that way.
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In memory of smallfry 1996-2013
Boards I own, click ->
More
Ducky x2 (9008G2 Pro PBT/MX Green and Mini MX Red), Matias x2 (QP and Mini QP Dampened ALPS), Topre RealForce x4 (87U 55g/Digilog case, 103U-UW & 104UG High-Profile x2), Filco Majestouch x2 (TKL MX Blue & V2 AI 104 MX Blue), IBM-M x2 (BS & RD), Unicomp-M x5 (BS black on black x2, BS Ivory x2, QT Ultra-Classic), Deck x4 (Legend MX Black & MX Clear, Hassium & Francium w/ MX Brown), DAS III (MX Blue), KBT Pure Pro 60% (MX Red), NMB-RT8256CW+ x2 (black space invader), XArmor U9BL-S (MX Brown) given for free to someone I hate, CM X2 (Trigger/MX Green + Storm TKL/NovaTouch), TVS GOLD (MX Blue) and a many many more (NMB, DELL, MS, ATT, KeyTronic, Etc...)

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 12:20:51 »
To let OP know, when KRO is measured it's literally any combination of keys that are used. Alot of boards can activate more than their, say 2KRO, but things like ASX and whatnot fail.

Also, had you not mentioned it, your English is fine and would have gone unnoticed.
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"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline canon.tk

  • Posts: 149
Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 12:47:49 »
Tested my Leopold at work and I'm getting around 20 in aquakeytest (USB).
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Filco Majestouch 104 Cherry MX Black; Filco Majestouch 87 Ninja Cherry MX Brown; Filco Majestouch Indigo Blue 104 Cherry MX Brown; Filco Majestouch 2 104 Cherry MX Red; Leopold 87 Otaku Cherry MX Brown; Leopold 87 Cherry MX Brown; Razer Black Widow Ultimate

Offline Toxic

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Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 13:12:35 »
ripster, it's USB, as I mentioned it earlier.

False_Dmitry_II, it doesn't depend on which keys you press. I did tests with many random combinations and it's almost always 18KRO (also had 19 or so few times).
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Offline Toxic

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Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 14:06:37 »
I can now play Mortal Kombat with my friends on a single keyboard. That's improvement against my old 2KRO rubber dome Cherry :)
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Offline Toxic

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Disassemble Cherry MX switches
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 02 May 2011, 14:16:53 »
Yeah, but it has to be at least 2 keyboards per player, because there should be at least 4KRO per player while playing MK :)
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